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Liverpool striker Suarez admits to diving

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has admitted to diving to try to win a penalty earlier this season, but insists he is unfairly scrutinised because the media are controlled by Manchester United.

The Uruguayan has confessed to attempting to con referee Lee Mason by throwing himself to the ground as his side were held to a 0-0 draw by Stoke at Anfield back in October.

However, Suarez also claimed that his recent handball against Mansfield Town was unintentional and believes his high profile has led to the criticism he receives from the press.

He told Fox Sports Argentina: “I don’t listen [to] all the nonsense some people say about me. I’m accused of cheating here. People say I throw myself all the time inside the box. “Let’s see: they said that when we played against Stoke, for instance, and in that case they were right. I invented a foul because we were drawing 1-1 against Stoke and I wanted to win.

“Sometimes on the pitch I say to myself: ‘What have I done?’ But the name of Suarez sells papers.

“The other day, for instance, I touched the ball with my hand accidentally, and I was criticised because I kissed my hand.

“The media make up a lot of things about me because they want to sell papers. I say to the media: You should talk more about football, not about other stuff.”

The 25-year-old went on to cite his spat with Manchester United defender Patrice Evra as proof that the current Premier League leaders are supported by the press and accused the English media of treating South American players poorly.

“Manchester United controls the media, they are powerful and the media will always help them,” he continued.

“I was arguing with a person [Patrice Evra] and maybe I thought he spoke Spanish when he didn’t speak Spanish.

“When someone comes and says to me something bad about being a South American, I don’t cry, because that happens inside the pitch.

“I have my conscience clean. I can help Liverpool today. We are united and we can play well. Liverpool doesn’t depend on me.

“It’s complicated to play here in England. As Carlitos [Tevez] and Kun [Aguero] have said, it’s complicated for a South American footballer to be here as we are treated differently to the local footballers.

“But they have their culture, they are like this, you know.”

The Salto-born striker also expressed thanks to his family for their support during the more difficult moments of his career.

“I have to play football, which is what I always wanted, but I have suffered a lot for being a footballer,” he added.

“If I take notice of what people say on the outside, I couldn’t play football. If I listen to what people say then I go home to my family and the joy of seeing my daughter is lost.

“But I have important people that, having been through everything I have been through, are still there and they love you for who you are and who you have been, not for the ‘interest’ that exists today.

“Also [I have] the support of my wife, who was there for me more than anyone when I was going to the trial every day, and the support of the club, which was amazing.”